When I was in college, my friends talked about this great bus that took them home for $1. Yes, one bonafied US dollar to take a bus from Chicago, IL to Clevland, OH. Completely floored and excited that I could traverse the open Midwest for $1, I did some of my own research on this mythical Megabus.

What I found out was that this awesome service not only could cost as low as a dollar, but they provided free Wi-Fi, it was an express bus, and it was clean. I kept envisioning this tattered old beater sputtering around the Midwest. Imagine my surprise when I got quite the opposite.

For budget travel over the holidays, there is really no other way to go. Now, you’re not gauranteed a ticket for $1 or a spot on the bus. The tickets are bought out quickly, and you only get the steeply discounted ticket if you buy a month or so in advance. However, if today I were to book a one-way ticket on the Megabus, leaving December 21st from Chicago Union Station to Kansas City I would pay between $51.00 and $58.00. Whereas that same ticket with Amtrak would cost between $68.00 and 116.00.

The MegaBus serves states in the Midwest, Notheast, and some of Canada.

The holidays are supposed to be relaxing and full of laughter. You have enough stress at home; everyone has those awkward uncles and socially strange cousins. I really see no point in making traveling to get to them all a hassle. Personally, when my mom guilts me about not coming home to celebrate the small holidays like Columbus Day, I know that ditching Christmas will nix me from the birthday call list for a year or so.

So look for alternate ways home. Flights can be expensive and sometimes you can find a great deal with a great story somewhere else. Car pool with friends, grab seats on the Megabus, or Amtrak your way back. Any way you can, get home for the holidays and enjoy the laughter and jokes that will be told every year after.

Happy Holidays everyone!

*Meg Hoppe is a freelance writer and marketing professional from Chicago. Visit her other blogs here and here and follow her on Twitter @CallMeHoppe.

Changing the old adage, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" to "If don't have anything to say under 140 characters, don't say anything at all."

Welcome to December everyone!

I noticed that I’ve been really letting myself go lately. I’ve stopped budgeting, stopped writing about budgeting and started shopping. I could tell you all it’s been the holidays, the sweet fall leaves, or the over abundance of turkey in my life as of late. Whatever the reason, holidays can be killer on everyone’s wallets. So, in my attempt to re-join the land of the fiscally responsible, Black Friday deals have their sway on even the strongest, I stumbled across this article discussing the benefits of Twitter on travel.

Most friends rolled their eyes when I jumped on the Twitter bandwagon. At first I used it to challenge my writing. If I can write a concise and witty 140 update, I’ve chosen the right profession. However, now this social networking giant has become a tool that everyone should explore.

Aside from taking the place of a news wire for a journalist, Twitter is a great place to find deals, savings, and freebies. I’ve been on for almost a year and have gotten free CDs and invites to events. I did some digging and found tons, and I mean tons of tweets advertising cheaper prices for or giveaways for almost everything you can imagine.

And apparently traveling is no exception to this. According to an MSNBC article, last summer some lucky followers were able to get $9 JetBlue tickets from JFK to Nantucket and $444 round–trips on United from the West Coast to Australia. You might ask yourself how they were able to get them. Twitter folks, it’s all about Twitter. By following JetBlue and United a few lucky travelers were able to check out steep sales first.

I really think it’s time for you to get off your anti-Twitter rampage and step on over to the dark side. We have cookies and cheaper plane tickets, so why are you waiting? Get your own 140 character soap box and join the movement.

With the American dollar being worth about as much as Monopoly money, you might be asking yourself how you can possibly afford to travel this year. You’ve become so consumed with paying off your mounting debt and saving, saving, saving. In the midst of all of this, you have forgotten to take some time to enjoy all of your hard work. What better way to treat yourself than by taking that relaxing European vacation you’ve been dreaming of.

It’s no secret that Europe is one of the most popular vacation spots in the world. It’s also no secret that even before our currency took a nosedive, Europe is also one of the most expensive vacation spots in the world. So how precisely are you supposed to travel Europe without undoing all of your tedious budgeting? While it might take some time, a European vacation just might be in the cards for this year if you do it right.

Plan Ahead: For keeping in budget when traveling this is always my first suggestion. Often times I will get a rather unhappy sigh or an argument that over-planning sucks the fun out of a vacation. For all of those naysayers, I remain steadfast that a well planned vacation is a well spent vacation. Would you rather spend time while on vacation wondering what the best way to get to your next destination is? Or possibly trying to find the lowest exchange rate or a place to change currency for the best price while on a walking tour of Rome? Worrying about whether or not you’re over budget, if you’ve booked a room, etc. while on vacation is exhausting. And quite frankly, if there is a fun sucker during a vacation, stressing out about your vacation is most definitely it.

Since the birth of the Internet and Google search, there is no reason why you should pay full price for anything. There are enough deals, bundles, coupons, discounts and economical solutions to traveling you just have to take the time to find, research, and compare them. When you’re haggling for higher pay in your job, do you just walk away with the first offer put on the table? If you do, we need to have an entirely different conversation. No, you don’t; you counter with at least 2 offers until your employer arrives at their third and final offer. Until you hear those words, you’re far from done. So why would paying for a vacation be any different? Check out some of the links at the bottom of the blog entry for some places to start planning your European vacation.

Travel during Off-Peak Times: When you hear someone talking about traveling during peak season, it’s a sure bet that they’re paying through the nose for their trip. The key to budget traveling is researching the right time to buy tickets and travel. For instance, when you buy plane tickets, fly on a weekday. If you avoid flying Thursday night through Sunday morning you will steer clear of higher plane costs. The same rings true when you’re planning a vacation. If you avoid the peak seasons of your location you will find cheaper transportation and hotel rates. For some more information about peak travel times check out this website or for a list of some peak travel days in 2009 look here.

Rooms Deluxe Hostel Valencia Spain

Don’t Waste Your Time with Luxury Hotels: When you’re traveling through Europe but don’t want to give up a moment’s luxury, consider staying at a hostel. I realize that hostels have a long standing reputation as being the dirty vagrant’s equivalent of a good time. Dorms packed like sardines that used to smell something similar have gone through a major face lift in the past 10 years. Hostels are now boasting top of the line economically friendly luxury and designer decorating. Hostels are a great place to stay if you’re looking to spend a few nights in a location, however, if you’re spending a few weeks to a month in a city it might be more beneficial to look into renting a flat.

Traveling with your family or friends for an extended period of time is the ideal situation for renting a flat. It is almost always more economically sound to stay in an apartment and it gives you immensely more freedom. For example, instead of going out to eat every night or staying in to expensive hotel food, you now have the option to peruse the gorgeous local open air markets and make a five star meal at home. You can also make a great night in with locals that you meet instead of going out and spending money at a bar. For more information on luxury hostels, check out my other blog entry and for more information on renting apartments in Europe, check out this site.

Take Advantage of Locals’ Suggestions: Let’s face it, it doesn’t matter how many expensive travel guides you have, you will never have the insight into your vacation spot that a local has. If you’re looking for a great place to get a decently priced meal, chances are asking someone who lives around the area will yield great results. For the most part, they won’t be eating at all of the tourist traps, so they will know what’s good and what’s not. If you want to know if there’s anything that’s a must see in the town you’re in, start a conversation with someone and just ask. You could be wondering what to do in cases of theft from tourists. Well, be careful who you ask. Never tell someone that you’re alone in a foreign country. If you’re not traveling in a group, lie and say you are. However, for the most part, not everyone is out to get you. Keep a reasonable level of caution, but never rule out talking to locals.

Consider Traveling Outside of the Eurozone: With the American dollar exchanging for about .72 in European Union, it might be time to consider looking at alternative travel routes. The Eurozone is comprised of 16 European states that make up the EU. It is these states that have adopted the euro as their legal form of tender and it’s these states that tend to be more expensive. When traveling to Europe on a budget, you might want to consider traveling outside of these 16 countries. Eastern Europe has so much culture and tourism to offer that is forgotten amidst the fanfare of its western counterpart.

Know How to Spend Money: This section has to do solely with where to exchange money and how to spend it while on your vacation. If you’ve never traveled overseas before, you might not be aware that there are several different ways to pay for items. For the most part, the three major ways of paying overseas are cash, credit, and travelers checks. When you’re working with cash, I would suggest exchanging a small portion, about $100.00 before you travel so you have some money for a cab ride, initial restaurant, etc. However, for the rest, exchange it when you’re overseas. You’re likely to get a better deal if you don’t exchange it in the airport exchange counter as opposed to taking out cash from an ATM affiliated with your bank. You will likely pay a fee for it being overseas, but it won’t be as large a fee. For more examples, I’ve included an older [but still valuable] NYT article. Take a look.

Check out some of these great websites for European and other vacation deals and savings.

June 2, 2009

From vacations to concerts and festivals, summer is the time to travel. Kids are off of school and meandering around and the weather is perfect for weekend trips downtown or out of town. If you’re at all like me, you find that come Labor Day, you bank account has gone through the ringer. A few days at the Taste of Chicago, some baseball games or concerts, and a summer vacation with the girls can put a dent in my credit card bill that even I have trouble looking at. So, this year as my social calendar fills up I’ve decided to try something a little different.

Being a rather young writer, my bank account doesn’t have the bang for its buck that I would like. Knowing that most of my friends have the same problem, I have resided myself to the notion of stretching what I can for as long as I can without compromising. You might find yourself wondering how I plan on stretching a rather slim regular income while not compromising my plans for the summer. To be honest, I found myself wondering the same thing when I made the suggestion. The answer to that lies in the little nuances of event planning.

Living in Chicago affords me the luxury of having a decent amount of free events to attend all year long. Aside from hitting up local museums on their free days, which they all have, I can check out the Botanic Gardens any time I want, picnic in the parks, check out local festivals and neighborhood parties.

For those of you who love sports and concerts, but don’t really want to dish out $40.00-$100.00 for tickets; utilize your local Craigslist. I have found that for most events just looking a few days prior, even the day of given enough time, can prove to be both frugal and fruitful. The closer you get to the actual event, the more willing people are to bend a little on the ticket price. I’ve paid next to nothing for sold out shows and games because people just needed to get rid of their tickets. Just note that if you’re going to use Craigslist, you need to have a back-up plan in place in case you can’t score great tickets.

Now we come to the vacationing section of the cheap summer fun plan. I have found that vacationing can be a pleasure for your bank account when done correctly. First off, think about where you want to stay. Do you really need to book a room at the Four Seasons in New York when you have those second cousins who have a pretty decent size brownstone? Bring home some wine and flowers during your stay, offer to help clean, do some chores, and you have free digs to call your own while on vacation.

When it comes to travel to and from, choose the cheapest route available. If you have a group of friends, do your research on car rentals, vans, cheap airlines, etc. When my friends and I travel, we do lots of research. We buy any plane tickets well ahead of time and plan our trips on non-peak days to avoid higher costs. When we are on vacation, we have a researched cheap mid sized vehicle that when split between us is reasonably priced. If you’re in a big city, utilize public transportation. City transit normally offers weekend passes that are a bargain if you do the math and see you’re using it enough.

Vacations can sometimes seem like the check-out aisle in a grocery store. They’re littered with “impulse buys” or “impulse trips.” In order to avoid spending more money than you had originally set out to I’ve found that it is important to have a plan laid out before you go. If you make a note of the main attractions or events you want to attend, you are eliminating lots of “impulse trips.” Now, that’s not to say that every moment of every day has to be planned. Remember those cousins you’re staying with? They live there and have a wealth of information for things to see and do. Ask them for ideas on cheap things to do and I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised. Offer to take them out with you and you can end up having the best vacation of the summer.

In the end, summer vacations and trips are all about the people you’re with. So don’t forget to just spend some nights at home. Break out some citronella candles, margaritas, and call your best friends for a night of good food, good drinks, and good company. Good friends are the best and cheapest summer event you could possibly plan.

*Meg Hoppe is a freelance writer and marketing professional from Chicago. Visit her other blog here.

April 22, 2009

Getting wrapped up in the fast paced lifestyles that we’ve become so accustomed to we forget that we don’t need a five star hotel to have a perfect vacation. Sometimes all we need is a tent, a backpack, and a sleeping bag. As a whole, our planet provides us with thousands of natural travel locations. State parks, wildlife preserves, sanctuaries, and forest preserves are among some of the most beautiful and oldest monuments to Mother Earth. Personally, I am of the opinion that camping gets a bad rap in this day in age.

People have this stigma that camping is a cold, hard torture that only the thrill fanatics seek out. When in reality, camping is the perfect way to get out and see some of the most beautiful places on the planet while doing it in a way that is healthy for the environment. As a subway patron, I have no fear of germs and grime. However, I know that some people do. When it comes to camping there are so many alternatives to the primal and dirty vision that people commonly get.

I can hear it now, the complaints of bears, mosquitoes, sleeping on the ground, going to the bathroom outside, etc. There are solutions to all of those problems that are easily found in books and online. If you pack correctly and plan for the weather and natural terrain you will be pleasantly surprised. A positive camping outcome is almost always in the tent, clothing, and sleeping bags that are packed. I know that there has been a few times where I’ve woken up in the middle of the night to find myself in the middle of a small lake from rain water.

If you research before you go, especially as a first time camper, you can come across great resources like Love the Outdoors and How to Camp. Both websites have information for the campers from beginner level to expert.

Don’t be afraid to trek out into the expansive wilderness. Often times as city people, we forget that there are more stars in the sky than the one we can see on a monthly basis. So when you get the chance, pack for a weekend and pack friends into a small car and make your way to a campground.

In the end, you need to realize that for every drawback, there is a positive. Just imagine sitting around a fire with family or friends looking up at the sky and seeing what it’s meant to be; an endless expanse of stars and planets. When you listen, you can hear the soft calls of animals that you didn’t realize shared the ground around you. And as you share a vacation with people you care about, you’re able to really take in all that this planet has to offer. Living in silent solidarity with nature is an experience that no one ever forgets.

Forget everything you thought that you knew about hostels. The long blank corridors smelling very reminiscent of a gym locker room with rows of dreary bunk beds mark the hostels of years past. Newer, trendier hostels are popping up all over Europe making budget travel once again a pleasurable experience.

If you have ever traveled on a shoestring budget, you have probably experienced a night in a hostel. While the average hostel has a reputation for being less than habitable, the truth is, for $10.00 a night you get what you pay for. Much like cafeteria meatloaf, hostels have been the mystery meat of vacation lodging. However, with the emergence of younger and architecturally stunning hostels, we see a change in the way you can travel both on a budget and in style.

So, grab your map, a cup of coffee, and add these 15 great boutique hostels to your list.

If you want gorgeous, artistic, chic, and service oriented while staying within a budget that wouldn’t force you to sell a kidney, then Lisbon Lounge is the hostel for you. Owned and designed by four Portuguese artists, you know walking into Lisbon Lounge that there is something beautifully elegant about this hostel. The Living Lounge features bedrooms that have been individually designed to reflect different aspects of Lisbon’s culture.

Don’t let the design alone speak for the hostel. With a 97% rating based on hotelbookers.com rating system, Lisbon Lounge is a chic and quality choice for any traveler. Supplying backpackers with complimentary breakfast, a bar, WiFi, a DVD room and of course public telephones, it will be hard to leave this resort hostel.

Check out other hostels on Lisbon’s website. Lisbon has some really fantastic options for chic, budget accommodations.

Winner of the Most Secure & Best Small Hostel in 2007 and Best Hostel in Poland 2008, Greg & Tom hostels give backpackers options in budget accommodations with high tech features. If you’re traveling in a small group Greg & Tom 1 gives you a more communal space that is decorated with a contemporary sense. However, if you’re a couple looking for a more intimate setting, Tom & Greg 2 along with the św Jana lux Apartments offer just that at affordable prices and comfortable residences.

Greg & Tom provides breakfast and dinner complimentary to their guests, with hot Polish meals on Tuesdays and Saturdays along with renovated bathrooms, WiFi, and large cable television with a DVD collection that makes your Netflix queue look like a weekend grocery list.

You won’t find dorm style bunk beds in this Budapest hostel; instead you can find Zen lofts, double, and single lofts. From the outside, Mandragora Hostel looks more like a school, or an apartment complex, drapes and laundry included. However, when you walk in you find that Mandragora is a hipster traveler’s dream.

The MUSH-room proudly says it offers no bunk beds, instead it has lofts for ample privacy. While the Zen room asks that you not eat or wear your shoes in the tranquil environment that calls for peace and harmony. If you’re there as a couple, check out the gorgeous double rooms and call it a night. Whatever you’re looking for, don’t overlook this diamond in the rough. Located right behind the National Museum, make sure you find Mandragora for a beautiful and affordable place to stay.

Hostel Celica, literally meaning Hostel Cell, is a rehabbed prison turned hostel. The 20 different cells have maintained the original bars on the windows and doors, but that is about all that will remind you of what they used to be. Each prison cell has been designed by an individual artist or group of artists to reflect a personal style that is classic and classy. While it might make you nervous to check into an old prison, Celica offers the utmost luxury for being an institution of reform in earlier years. If you’re in the mood for a different type of stay, you can find your favorite cell here!

If you’re interested in seeing all of the individual cells and choosing what room you would like, go to the website and if you have Java installed you will be able to see a panoramic 360° view of each room.

St. Christopher’s has hostels in various locations around Europe, and quite frankly, they are all worth a look if you’re in the area. The Berlin location is an exceptionally hip and versatile one. The clean, urban chic décor in the hostel is welcoming and youthful. While you’re there St. Christopher’s urges you to check out Belushi’s, the bar that is located in the lower level of the building, as it often has food and drink specials.

You can find Belushi’s restaurants scattered throughout Europe. The name is Queen’s English for “great times” according to their website. I however, immediately thought of the Blues Brothers and home, sweet home, Chicago. There is something about those black Ray Bans and cheap suits that just conjure up great memories

There are a few Nest Hostels in Valencia to choose from, but I’ve noticed that Red Nest seems to be the best. Vivaciously colored rooms have pop art spanning the walls in this elegant 19th-century building. Since Valencia is a phenomenal city to visit when traveling, Red Nest gives you the benefit of being in the thick of it.

Red Nest Hostel boasts a large kitchen and dining room ready for 40 people, a terrace bar, and a game room fully loaded with pool tables and TV/DVD areas.

La Controra is the only flashpackers hostel in Italy. Located in Naples, this revitalized monastery was originally built as a part of a convent early in the 18th century. Today, you’re able to see the history throughout the hostel with complementing chic and contemporary elements. The rooms are decorated with art sculptures, the floor tiles feature images of shells, Neapolitan coffee pots, garlic, chili peppers, “ex-voto” and red coral horns. The bar inside of the hostel is often used for contemporary art exhibits and multimedia events on top of being a casual lounge for travelers.

Plus Florence is a wonderful hostel located in the heart of Florence, Italy. True to Italian architecture and style, Plus Florence combines comfort and fashion in its accommodations. When you walk into the hostel, it is bound to remind you more of an upscale hotel rather than a budget hostel. With chic and vibrant colors on the walls and a clean modern look, Plus Florence makes you feel like you’re heading into a spa weekend with the girls. To continue this feeling, Plus offers female only dormitories so women can kick off their shoes and spend some time together.

The Youth Hostel Association or YHA, has re-vamped its image with a new $2.2 million hostel located in London. The hostel, aptly named London Central, boasts seven contemporary styled floors of budget accommodation within five minutes of Oxford Street.
The 24-hour café/bar is decorated with boldly colored furniture, large plasma screens playing music videos, and smatterings of pop art. It is loaded with free WiFi, organic cider, and Nintendo Wii.

YHA hasn’t abandoned all of its principles however. They still offer contemporary bedrooms that are en-suite, a communal dining area, and a free travel desk with destination suggestions along with free daily walking tours.

$21.00-$193.00
*Note Miss Sophie’s only accepts Czech Crowns CZK or Euros EUR. If you pay by credit there is a 4% charge.

If you’re in Prague, then you should be staying in Miss Sophie’s Hostel. Located in the heart of the city, Miss Sophie’s is a great place to lay your head. With a wide array of accommodation choices, a larger group can pay more for the luxury of an apartment or simply opt for the dorm style rooms. Styled more like a New York SoHo apartment or nightclub, Miss Sophie’s offers travelers a posh and affordable place to stay.

Being centrally located, Miss Sophie’s also offers the best sights and nightlife in the city within walking distance. Exposed brick in the cellar lounge sets the mood, while the terrace allows for parties with friends and fellow travelers. With hostels like Miss Sophie’s it is a wonder why people pay thousands for a hotel.

Rooms Deluxe Hostel offers travelers a buffet of room choices. With 28 rooms decorated by 28 artists you won’t be let down. Each room is hand crafted to perfection. Some of the rooms remind me of bedrooms that you could see on Extreme Home Makeover. The rooms are intense and a work of art just as much as they are functional. Instead of counting sheep, feel free to find the lemurs in the 100 Lemur room, or spend the night in Morocco in Le Riad.

The website offers virtual tours of each room so take a look around and make your choice!

While Barcelona isn’t on most backpacker’s routes, it’s worth a detour to make a stop at this great hostel. Centric Point looks like the new kid on the block with a very gothic exterior among extremely modern buildings. The inside of Centric Point is just as modern as the rest of Barcelona with art scrawled on the walls, bright colors, and comfortable rooms for travelers.

Equity Point offers various hostels throughout Spain; however, I have found the Marrakech location to be my favorite. The hostel, which was once a luxury riad, Moroccan palace, is located in the heart of Marrakech and is ornately decorated in an exquisitely elegant and traditional fashion. The hostel provides a Moroccan breakfast and offers locations for lunch and dinner.

If you’re ever in the Spain, make a stop in Marrakech and spend some time at Equity Point. You don’t be disappointed.

The Mleczarnia Hostel is very reminiscent of a dollhouse that a girl would have had while growing up. With the meticulous antique details in every piece of furniture and vase placement, it’s hard not to gape in awe. This Polish hostel is a beautiful addition to the list, and boasts ornate and historical decorations. It offers dorm style rooms to apartments for couples or small groups looking for some privacy.

Hostelling International (HI) member, Långholmen Hostel, is a great place to stay if you’re heading to Stockholm. Sitting on a green island close to public transportation, the building is a perfect place for a get away. Built in the 1840’s the hostel and hotel served as the Crown Prison until 1975 when the last convict left. Guests are given accommodation in the rehabbed prison rooms, and are able to tour the rest of the historic location.

Långholmen offers free bikes, WiFi, laundry, restaurant, and a bar on site. Note that since Långholmen is a HI location, if you are not a card-carrying member of HI, you will be charged an extra $7.00 for check in.

*Meg Hoppe is a freelance writer and marketing professional from Chicago. Visit her other blog here.

April 21, 2009

A few years ago I watched the movie, The Holiday with Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet. In the movie, Diaz and Winslet “swap” houses for a holiday. I watched this phenomenon with a strange allure. Did people really do that? After watching the movie, loving it, and returning it to Blockbuster, house swapping fell off of my radar. Now, with the recession and my desire to travel once again, I’ve re-kindled my fascination of this budget travel tactic that so many people overlook.

House swapping, or home exchanges as people call it, is precisely what you think it might be. You place an ad telling people where you are and where you would like to go. In most instances that I’ve noted, residents will place photos of their homes or apartments up with their ad and the time in which they would like to travel. Once someone responds to your ad, you build up a rapport with that person and inevitably decide whether or not to ship your keys out for a little R&R.

While perusing the Internet for house swapping ads, I was drawn in by the photographs of foreign apartments. I can easily be taken in by a great photo of a magnificently decorated apartment. However, I also started to imagine my apartment with someone else in it. I pictured someone sleeping in my bed, re-programming my TV, and drying off with my towels after a shower in my bathroom. How could I entrust my personal space to someone I had never met?

Upon looking into reviews for this new technique I stumbled upon this question and so many others that I had. Security of my items, how could I be assured that things wouldn’t be missing or broken upon my return? Will my decorating tendencies and yellow Ikea chairs with my dark wood dining table become an international butt of ridicule? It’s hard to say really.

The best advice that I have to counter house swapping fears is this; really look into who you are swapping homes with. Most people realize that you are in their home as well and have these same questions and fears. Create an open dialogue and get to know your homeowner well enough to feel comfortable picturing them as a friend who is staying in your apartment while you’re away.
In the end, house swapping is a great way to see the world on a budget. Not only are you able to travel, but you’re able to fully immerse yourself in a culture and way of life. Keep your eyes open and look at Craigslist for house swaps in your area and report back with your stories and photos!

*Meg Hoppe is a freelance writer and marketing professional from Chicago. Visit her other blog here.